Raptor Pharmaceutical Drug Meets Goal in Clinical Trial

Shares of Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. retreated from annual highs Monday after the company said its most advanced drug candidate met its main goal in a late-stage clinical trial, according to Bloomberg. Raptor is studying a version of the drug cysteamine as a treatment for nephropathic cystinosis, a rare and lethal genetic condition that involves the accumulation of amino acids in cells. Its capsules are designed to be taken twice per day, while the approved version must be given four times per day on a strict schedule of every six hours. The company said the study showed that its drug candidate, called RP103, was not inferior to the approved version, which is sold under the name Cystagon.